"Tropics The tropics are the region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. They are delimited in latitude by The Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth. The tropics are also referred to as the tropical zone and the torrid zone (see geographical zone). The tropics include all the areas on the Earth where the Sun contacts the a point directly overhead at least once during the solar year (which is a subsolar point) - thus the latitude"
"equidistant from the North Pole and South Pole. It divides the Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. Of the parallels or circles of latitude, it is the longest, and the only 'great circle' (a circle on the surface of the Earth, centered on Earth's center). All the other parallels are smaller and centered only on Earth's axis. The Arctic Circle is the southernmost latitude in the Northern Hemisphere at which the sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours (at the June and December solstices respectively). Similarly, the Antarctic Circle marks the northernmost"
"Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's North Pole. Owing to the Earth's axial tilt, winter in the Northern Hemisphere lasts from the December solstice (typically December 21 UTC) to the March equinox (typically March 20 UTC), while summer lasts from the June solstice through to the September equinox (typically September 23 UTC). The dates vary each year due to the difference between"
"the North Pole, which is the middle of the Northern Hemisphere. Between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer lies the Northern temperate zone. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally mild, rather than extreme hot or cold. However, a temperate climate can have very unpredictable weather. Tropical regions (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator) are generally hot all year round and tend to experience a rainy season during the summer months, and a dry season during the winter months. In the Northern Hemisphere, objects moving across or above the surface of the"
"Geographical zone The five main latitude regions of the Earth's surface comprise geographical zones, divided by the major circles of latitude. The differences between them relate to climate. They are as follows: On the basis of latitudinal extent, the globe is divided into three broad heat zones. The Torrid is also known as the Tropics. The zone is bounded on the north by the Tropic of Cancer and on the south by the Tropic of Capricorn; these latitudes mark the northern and southern extremes in which the sun seasonally passes directly overhead. This happens annually, but in the region between,"
"latitude in the Southern Hemisphere at which the sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours (at the December and June Solstices respectively). The latitude of the polar circles is equal to 90° less the Earth's axial tilt. The Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn mark the northernmost and southernmost latitudes at which the sun may be seen directly overhead (at the June solstice and December solstice respectively). The latitude of the tropical circles is equal to the Earth's axial tilt. By definition, the positions of the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle"
"45th parallel north The 45th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 45 degrees north of Earth's equator. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 45th parallel north is often called the halfway point between the Equator and the North Pole, but the true halfway point is actually north of the 45th parallel because Earth is an oblate spheroid; that is, it bulges at the equator and is flattened at the poles. At this latitude, the Sun is visible for 15 hours 37 minutes during the summer solstice, and 8 hours"
"the Southern Hemisphere. The North Pole faces away from the galactic center of the Milky Way. This results in the Milky Way being sparser and dimmer in the Northern Hemisphere compared to the Southern Hemisphere, making the Northern Hemisphere more suitable for deep-space observation, as it is not ""blinded"" by the Milky Way. The Northern Hemisphere is home to approximately 6.57 billion people which is around 90% of the earth's total human population of 7.3 billion people. Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System,"
"58th parallel north The 58th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 58 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. At this latitude the sun is visible for 18 hours, 11 minutes during the summer solstice and 6 hours, 27 minutes during the winter solstice. Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 58° north passes through: In general this parallel sees significant differences in temperature and precipitation with proximity to warm ocean currents. The moderation from the Gulf Stream ensures a moderate"
"Southern Hemisphere The Southern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is south of the Equator. It contains all or parts of five continents (Antarctica, Australia, about 90% of South America, the southern third of Africa, and several southern islands off the continental mainland of Asia), four oceans (Indian, South Atlantic, Southern, and South Pacific) and most of the Pacific Islands in Oceania. Its surface is 80.9% water, compared with 60.7% water in the case of the Northern Hemisphere, and it contains 32.7% of Earth's land. Owing to the tilt of Earth's rotation relative to the Sun and the ecliptic"
"of the Earth is approximately 23.439281° with the axis of its orbit plane, always pointing towards the Celestial Poles. Due to Earth's axial tilt, the amount of sunlight reaching any given point on the surface varies over the course of the year. This causes the seasonal change in climate, with summer in the Northern Hemisphere occurring when the Tropic of Cancer is facing the Sun, and winter taking place when the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere faces the Sun. During the summer, the day lasts longer, and the Sun climbs higher in the sky. In winter, the climate"
"Middle latitudes The middle latitudes (also called the mid-latitudes, sometimes midlatitudes, or moderate latitudes) of Earth lie between 23°26'22"" and 66°33'39"" north, and between 23°26'22"" and 66°33'39"" south. They include Earth's subtropical and temperate zones, which lie between the tropics and the polar circles (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle, and between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle). Weather fronts and extratropical cyclones are usually found in this area, as well as occasional tropical cyclones, which have traveled from their areas of formation closer to the Equator. The prevailing winds in the middle latitudes are"
"Polar circle A polar circle is either the Arctic Circle or the Antarctic Circle. On Earth, the Arctic Circle is located at a latitude of N, and the Antarctic Circle is located at a latitude of S. Areas inside each polar circle and its associated pole (North Pole or South Pole), known geographically as the frigid zones, would theoretically experience at least one 24-hour period when the center of the sun is continuously above the horizon and at least one 24-hour period when the center of the sun is continuously below the horizon annually. However, due to atmospheric refraction and"
"southern hemispheres are alternately turned either toward or away from the sun depending on Earth's position in its orbit. The hemisphere turned toward the sun receives more sunlight and is in summer, while the other hemisphere receives less sun and is in winter (see solstice). At the equinoxes, the Earth's axis is perpendicular to the sun rather than tilted toward or away, meaning that day and night are both about 12 hours long across the whole of the Earth. The Equator lies mostly on the three largest oceans: the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. Near the"
"30th parallel north The 30th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 30 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It stands one-third of the way between the equator and the North Pole and crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean. It is the approximate southern border of the horse latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning that much of the land area touching the 30th parallel is arid or semi-arid. If there is a source of wind from a body of water the area would more likely be subtropical. At this latitude the"
"half the year the Northern Hemisphere is inclined toward the Sun while for the other half year the Southern Hemisphere has this distinction. The two moments when the inclination of Earth's rotational axis has maximum effect are the solstices. At the June solstice the subsolar point is further north than any other time: at latitude 23.44° north, known as the Tropic of Cancer. Similarly at the December solstice the subsolar point is further south than any other time: at latitude 23.44° south, known as the Tropic of Capricorn. The subsolar point will cross every latitude between these two extremes exactly"
"10th parallel north The 10th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 10 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, South America and the Atlantic Ocean. At this latitude the sun is visible for 12 hours, 43 minutes during the summer solstice and 11 hours, 33 minutes during the winter solstice. A section of the border between Guinea and Sierra Leone is defined by the parallel. The Ten Degree Channel in the Indian Ocean is named after the parallel. Starting at the"
"60th parallel north The 60th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 60 degrees north of Earth's equator. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. Although it lies approximately twice as far away from the Equator as from the North Pole, the 60th parallel is half as long as the Equator line. This is where the Earth bulges halfway as much as on the Equator. At this latitude, the Sun is visible for 18 hours, 52 minutes during the June solstice and 5 hours, 52 minutes during the December solstice. The maximum"
"Arctic Circle The Arctic Circle is the most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth. It marks the northernmost point at which the centre of the noon sun is just visible on the December solstice and the southernmost point at which the centre of the midnight sun is just visible on the June solstice. The region north of this circle is known as the Arctic, and the zone just to the south is called the Northern Temperate Zone. As seen from the Arctic, the Sun is above the horizon for 24 continuous hours"
"16th parallel north The 16th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 16 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. At this latitude the sun is visible for 13 hours, 5 minutes during the summer solstice and 11 hours, 11 minutes during the winter solstice. After World War II, the parallel divided Vietnam into Chinese and British controlled zones; this eventually formed the Communist North Vietnam and the anti-communist South Vietnam. (See Timeline of World War II (1945).) In the"
"Northern celestial hemisphere The northern celestial hemisphere, also called the Northern Sky, is the northern half of the celestial sphere; that is, it lies north of the celestial equator. This arbitrary sphere appears to rotate westward around a polar axis due to Earth's rotation. At any given time, the entire Northern Sky is visible from the geographic North Pole, while less of this hemisphere is visible the further south the observer is located. The southern counterpart is the southern celestial hemisphere. In the context of astronomical discussions or writing about celestial cartography, this celestial hemisphere may also simply then be"
"is derived from medieval Latin word ""aequator"", in the phrase ""circulus aequator diei et noctis,"" meaning ‘circle equalizing day and night’, from the Latin word ""aequare"" meaning ‘make equal’. The latitude of the Earth's equator is, by definition, 0° (zero degrees) of arc. The Equator is one of the five notable circles of latitude on Earth; the other four are both polar circles (the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle) and both tropical circles (the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn). The Equator is the only line of latitude which is also a great circle — that is,"
"as , while the winter temperatures frequently fall below . Starting at the prime meridian and heading eastwards, the Arctic Circle passes through: Arctic Circle The Arctic Circle is the most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth. It marks the northernmost point at which the centre of the noon sun is just visible on the December solstice and the southernmost point at which the centre of the midnight sun is just visible on the June solstice. The region north of this circle is known as the Arctic, and the zone just to"
"20th parallel north The 20th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 20 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, North America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. The parallel defines part of the border between Libya and Sudan, and within Sudan it defines the border between the Northern and North Darfur states. At this latitude the sun is visible for 13 hours, 21 minutes during the summer solstice and 10 hours, 55 minutes during the winter solstice. Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel"
"Antarctic Circle The Antarctic Circle is the most southerly of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. The region south of this circle is known as the Antarctic, and the zone immediately to the north is called the Southern Temperate Zone. South of the Antarctic Circle, the sun is above the horizon for 24 continuous hours at least once per year (and therefore visible at midnight) and the centre of the sun is below the horizon for 24 continuous hours at least once per year (and therefore not visible at noon); this is also true"
"through: 29th parallel north The 29th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 29 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean. At this latitude the sun is visible for 14 hours, 0 minutes during the summer solstice and 10 hours, 18 minutes during the winter solstice. The northernmost extremity in which the moon can pass through the zenith at some point during the 18.6 year Saros cycle lies slightly south of this parallel. Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 29° north"
"35th parallel north The 35th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 35 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean. In the United States, the parallel defines the southern border of Tennessee, and the border between North Carolina and Georgia, as well as the southernmost point of Nevada. At this northern latitude, the Sun is visible for 14 hours, 31 minutes on its summer solstice (in June) and for 9 hours, 48 minutes on its winter solstice (in December). Starting at the"
"precipitation, average monthly precipitation, and average monthly temperature. Geographical zone The five main latitude regions of the Earth's surface comprise geographical zones, divided by the major circles of latitude. The differences between them relate to climate. They are as follows: On the basis of latitudinal extent, the globe is divided into three broad heat zones. The Torrid is also known as the Tropics. The zone is bounded on the north by the Tropic of Cancer and on the south by the Tropic of Capricorn; these latitudes mark the northern and southern extremes in which the sun seasonally passes directly overhead."
"42nd parallel north The 42nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 42 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. At this latitude the sun is visible for 15 hours, 15 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 7 minutes during the winter solstice. The earth rotation speed at this latitude is roughly equal to the speed of sound. Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 42° north passes through: The parallel 42° north forms most of the"
"arc in the tilt is equivalent to change of about 31 metres north or south in the positions of the polar circles on the Earth's surface). The main reason for this is that the sun rays bend in the atmosphere of planet Earth, this phenomenon is more obvious to see, at high latitudes. Polar circle A polar circle is either the Arctic Circle or the Antarctic Circle. On Earth, the Arctic Circle is located at a latitude of N, and the Antarctic Circle is located at a latitude of S. Areas inside each polar circle and its associated pole (North"
"28th parallel north The 28th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 28 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean. In Mexico the parallel defines the border between the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur. This parallel also passes through Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth, passing just north of its summit. At this latitude the sun is visible for 13 hours, 55 minutes during the summer solstice and 10 hours, 22 minutes during the winter solstice. Starting at the Prime Meridian"
"20° north passes through: 20th parallel north The 20th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 20 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, North America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. The parallel defines part of the border between Libya and Sudan, and within Sudan it defines the border between the Northern and North Darfur states. At this latitude the sun is visible for 13 hours, 21 minutes during the summer solstice and 10 hours, 55 minutes during the winter solstice. Starting at the Prime Meridian and"
"48th parallel north The 48th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 48 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The Boston Beer Company brews an India Pale Ale called ""Latitude 48"" as much of the Northern Hemisphere's hops are grown in a belt at approximately this latitude. In Canada the parallel forms part of the border between Quebec and New Brunswick. Ships heading north along the coast of Washington toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca must make radio contact with Canadian Coast Guard"